Casket-clamp for hearses



(No Model.) y

G. F. BAIRD. GASKET CLAMP FOR HEARSES.

No. 516,172. Patented MM.- 6,1894.

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A i w UNITED `STAT13S PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. BAIRD, OF AUSTIN, MINNESOTA.

GASKET-CLAM P lFOR H l-:ARSES SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters raient No. 516,172, dated Meren 6,1894. Application filed February 20, 1893. Serial 110.462,972. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. BAIRD, of Austin, Mower county, Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Adjustable Casket-Clamps for Hearses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to casket holding attachments for hearses, its obj ect being to provide adjustable means for securing a casket or coffin of any size,in place in the hearse,so as to prevent its movement therein while being transported.

To this end my invention consists in arranging a converging series of slots in the bed or bottom of the hearse body, and in arranging insaid slots stops which, when slipped along the slots may be closed and bear against the opposite sides of the casket, so as to hold it firmly in place. These stops are operated by two pairs of pivoted arms, each pair of arms being attached to ablock threaded upon a reverse screw shaft or rod, so that the blocks are caused to approach each other when the shaft is turned in one direction, and are separated by its reverse movement. Means are also provided for adjusting the position of the screw shaft so as to relatively shift the position of the stops, to adapt them to the shape of a coffin as well as a casket.

Other features of my invention will appear in the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichp Figure 1 is an inverted plan View of the bottom of the hearse body showing the expandin g pivoted arms and the actuating screw shaft. Fig. 2is a side View of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom of the hearse body showing the converging slots and the stops adjustable along the same. Fig. 4 is a partial bottom plan view showing means for adjusting the position of the screw shaft so as to adapt the stops to the shape of a coffin instead of a casket, and Fig. 5 is a side View of the same.

In the drawings 2 represents the bottom or bed of the hearse body fitted with casters v3 to carry a casket in the ordinary manner. The plates 4, having the longitudinal slots 5 convergingfrom each cornertoward thecenter, are arranged in the bed. Underneath the bed is arranged the reverse screw shaft 6 mounted in n bearings 7, S and 9,"having a right hand thread onone side of the bearing 8 and a left hand thread on the other side of the bearing. Fitted to this shaft on each side of the bearing 8, are blocks 10 and 11. To the block 10 is pivoted the pair of arms l2 and 13, the other ends of which are connected to the stops 14ev and 15, which run in the slots 5 of the plates 4 at the corresponding end of the bed. Similarly to the block 11 are pivoted the arms 16 and 17, in like manner connected to the stops 18 and 19, itted to the slots at the other end of the bed. It will thus be seen that as the shaft 6 is turned in one direction the blocks 10 and 11 are both carriedi toward the center bearing '8, thus thrusting the stops outward along the slots, but with the reverse movement of the shaft the blocks are separated and the stops drawn down toward the center line of the bed, so as to clamp upon the casket placed between them. Each pair of arms is connected preferably to the block threaded on the shaft at the opposite end of the platform, so that -the angular movement is very much less abrupt than if they were connected to the blocks adjacent to the slots in which the stops carried by them work. The arms are therefore crossed over each other as shown, and the blocks threaded upon the shaft are separated, when the stops are drawn together, and approach each other to force the stops outward.

In order to operate the shaft 6 I provide an extension 2O fitted with a crank 21 at the rear end of the vehicle. This shaft 2O has a sliding coupling 22 with the shaft 6, so that when not in use the crank maybe thrust inward beneath the bottom of the body and out of sight, Where it is prevented from turning by the body. In some cases means for adjusting the longitudinal position of the shaft 6 are necessary in order to adjust the stops to the tapering form of a coffin. For this purpose I mount the bearings for the shaft upon a plate 23, which is held upon the bottom of the body by means of the bolts 24 passing through the slots 25, which permit a slight longitudinal movement of the plate. At the rear end of the body I provide a rack 26 fixed to this plate, with which engages a segmental gear 27 pivoted to the body, and provided with a handle 28 by means of which it may be turned so as to move the rack, and with it the plate IOC 23. If the plate is moved toward the rear of the body it carries with it the pivoteda-rms, and consequently draws the stops 14 and 15 inward while carrying the stops 1S and 19 outward, orv increasing the space between them. This adjustment is made to compensate for the difference in width between the ends of the coiiin.

In use the shaft 6 being turned to force the stops outward along their slots a suicient distance, the casket is run in over the supporting casters. The shaft then being turned in the opposite direction the stops are drawn inward until they bear with any desired pressure against the sides of the casket and hold it firmly in place. The handle 2l being slipped inward and underneath the body, is kept from turning and the clamp devices are therefore firmly held against the casket` In case a colfin is to be used, the handleQS of the segmental gear 27 is turned to carry the plate 23 with its attachments toward the rear of the vehicle, and thus adjust the forward stops nearer together than the others. The coffin then being placed in the vehicle and the handle 2l turned, the stops are carried inward into contact with the coffin and iirrnly secure it.

I claim- 1. In a hearse, the combination with the bottom thereof having slots converging from each corner toward the center line, of the stops working in said slots, the reverse screw shaft arranged longitudinally of the bodyintermediate of said stops, the blocks threaded upon said shaft, and the pair of arms connecting each of said blocks with the stops at the opposite end of the body, substantially as described.

2. In a hearse, the combination with the 4o bottom of the body thereof having slots converging from the corners toward the center line, of the reverse screw shaft arranged 0n said center line, the journals for said shaft, the common supports for said journals arranged to slide in line with said shaft, the blocks threaded upon said shaft, the stops working in said slots, and the arms connecting said blocks with said stops, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the hearse having slots converging from the corners toward the center line of the bottom of the body, of the reverse screw shaft mounted underneath said body along said center line, the longitudinally `slidable journals for said shaft, the blocks threaded upon said shaft, stops working in said slots, and the arms connectingsaidiblocks with the stops at the opposite end of the hearse, substantially as described.

4. In a hearse, the combination with the stops slidable toward and from the cornersof the bottom of the body and the middle line thereof, of the reverse screw shaft arranged upon said middle line, the blocks threaded upon said shaft, the arms connecting said blocks with said stops,the journal support for saidshaft slidable longitudinally thereof, the

rack connected to said support and the gear meshing with said rack, and adapted to ad just the position of said journal support and screw shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand this 30th day of January, 1893;

GEORGE F. BAIRD.

In presence of- A. C. PAG-n, LYMAN D. BAIRD. 

